Rocky Mountain Elk Cleaning Calf Yellowstone National Park

A Rocky Mountain Elk spends time cleaning and caring for her calf in the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park.

A Rocky Mountain Elk in Yellowstone National Park takes her calf for a stroll in the long grass keeping within a close proximity of her while cleaning her backside. The elk and her calf will spend the winter months at lower elevations where the food supply is better and move to higher ground during the spring.

Rocky Mountain Elk are social animals who gather in groups forming herds of approximately 25 animals which includes cows, yearlings and calves. The breeding season for the Rocky Mountain Elk is in late August to November with calving taking place in late May into early June. This allows the summer months for the calf to grow and get an ample supply of grasses, plants, leaves and bark to survive its first winter.

The Rocky Mountain calves are born with spots but will lose these by the end of summer. After two weeks of age, the calf is old enough to join the herd and the mother will wean her young at about 2 months of age. Remaining with its mother for about a year, the Rocky Mountain Elk will protect, show it cleaning techniques and teach her young all the safety issues to survive in the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park.

Rocky Mountain with calf Elk in Yellowstone National Park

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Photo Title: Rocky Mountain Elk Cleaning Calf Yellowstone National Park

A Rocky Mountain Elk spends time cleaning and caring for her calf in the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park.